1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tube tire including a tire adapted to be mounted on an outer circumference of a rim, and a tube accommodated in a space adapted to be defined by the rim and the tire.
2. Description of Background Art
When a general tube tire is pierced by a nail or the like, the air in the tube passes from a pierced hole of the tube through a fine gap between the tire and the tube to a nipple hole of a rim, and leaks from the nipple hole to the outside, thus readily developing a puncture.
It is known to preliminarily inject into a tube a proper amount of liquid sealant for automatically temporarily repairing a pierced hole opened through the tube (see Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 58-74342).
However, in the above conventional tube tire, a capsule filled with the sealant is preliminarily put in the tube in forming the tube, and the capsule is broken to charge the sealant into the tube after forming the tube. Accordingly, the tube is apt to be damaged in applying an external force to the capsule to break it. Further, in some cases, the sealant may plug an air valve of the tube or may plug a pressure gauge in measuring an air pressure in the tube.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a tube tire which can eliminate any damage to a tube in charging a sealant, and can prevent the sealant from plugging an air valve of the tube.
According to the present invention, a tube tire is provided which includes a tire adapted to be mounted on an outer circumference of a rim, and a tube accommodated in a space adapted to be defined by said rim and said tire. The tube is formed by joining a first tube half and a second tube half formed of raw rubber wherein each includes a circular cross section at substantially a half way point of an outer circumferential surface of each tube. The tube is then vulcanized wherein the first and second tube halves are joined together. An air chamber is adapted to be filled with air being defined in said first tube half located radially inside of said tire. A sealant chamber is adapted to be filled with a sealant being defined in said second tube half located radially outside of said tire.
According to the present invention, the first tube half and said second tube half have the same diameter in their free condition.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.